What has ‘really impressed’ All Blacks captain about Beauden Barrett

Beauden Barrett has made 145 Test appearances and won a Rugby World Cup, and the All Blacks utility remains the consummate professional. Barrett was one of the last All Blacks to walk off the sacred turf at Eden Park on Friday, on the eve of a Bledisloe Cup Test.

Barrett has been named in New Zealand’s starting side for the first time since the 2025 Autumn Nations Series. The playmaker missed selection during all three Nations Championship matches in July and suited up once during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test series.

But with Ruben Love and Richie Mo’unga unavailable due to injury, coach Dave Rennie has opted to shift Damian McKenzie from fullback to first five-eighth. Will Jordan remains on the wing, with Barrett instead the preferred option to wear the No. 15 jersey.

Barrett hasn’t started at fullback for the All Blacks since September 1, 2024. But just shy of 770 days on from that defeat to the Springboks in Johannesburg, the former two-time World Rugby Player of the Year has been rewarded with another opportunity.

“I’m really impressed with Beaudy. He’s a great man on and off the field,” All Blacks captain Codie Taylor said on Friday.

“Hasn’t had many opportunities this year and you wouldn’t know just the way he approaches the game. He’s world-class; we’ve seen that throughout the years.

“For him to be out there with us and help lead, I think it’s going to be really good for him.”

McKenzie has exclusively been used by Rennie as a fullback this season, starting all three Nations Championship matches and the four RGR Tests. The 31-year-old hasn’t worn the black No. 10 jersey since the defeat to the Springboks in Wellington on September 13, 2025.

But the 81-Test All Black did start at first five last November against Wales in Cardiff, and is coming off another strong Super Rugby Pacific campaign with finalists the Chiefs, having lined up at first five in nine of 11 appearances.

“I suppose he’s never left in a way. He’s a world-class player and he’s put his hand up wherever he’s been put,” Taylor explained.

“He’s been at fullback for all of the year and now he’s get an opportunity at 10.

“I’m confident in how he’s going to drive us around the field and like I said, he’s a talented man. He’s going to go well.”

The All Blacks are looking to bounce back from three straight defeats to the Springboks, which included a loss in Baltimore in front of more than 68,000 fans. They haven’t lost four in a row since the late 1990s, and will also look to defend their Eden Park record.

Ardie Savea captained the All Blacks to a 19-point win over Ireland in July, which saw the hosts extend their unbeaten record at the venue to 53 matches. It’s a streak that dates back to the 1980s and it will be put to the test once again, with a confident Wallabies side in town.

“I haven’t talked about it too much this week at all. I hear a lot about it but it doesn’t really matter come tomorrow, just got to get the result.

“Put in a performance, that’s the key. For us, that’s the key is a performance we can be proud of.

“It’s the last opportunity to play here for the year in front of our people and that’s really important for us.”